The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-06-15
ARTISTIC HOMES.
THE FURNITURE OF THE GOBLET
AND VANDERBILT MANSIONS.
A Severe Contrast in styies-Decorative
Results Obtained by the Unstinted Elk
penditure of Money Elaborate Carving,
Delicate Embroidery and Art Treasures.


Delicate Embroidery and Art Treasures
/ don't think ever saw greater con-
trast than in the furnishing of the par
lors of Ogden Goelet and William H.
Vanderbilt. Both of them were SO
rich that money could be spent with
out limit and each could choose what
his own taste preferred in this and
other countries. The parlors of the first
named have at the first glance an UNI
usual air Of severe simplicity, while the
others hold all the brightest and most
glittering things that could be brought
together.
The new home of the Goelets is
large and handsome The hall doors
are double, and of rounds of stained
glass, and the hall is worthy of at least a
column of description but in this short
article only wish to mention the parlors,
so will pass over the hall, at the right of
which is the door leading into the grand
salon.
There Is no carpet on the floor, which
is made of polished oak, laid in the most
exact manner. The walls are made of
panelings in cream color with fine gold
holdings, so narrow that they serve
only as thread of gold in embroidery
to throw out the delicate beauty of the
pattern. The ceiling represents the firm
ament and all around the wall is frieze,
consisting of paintings on wood by cele
brated artists. The subject is of nymphs
and children playing among fields of
flowers, and they are all done in pale,
delicate tints, exquisitely soft, chaste and
pleasing.
The parlor fronts east and north, and
has large windows, each hung with cur
tains of solid tapestry, each one of
which must have required two years
steady labor, IL being the fine old cross
stitch embroidery. The curtains have bor
ders of cream color in which are worked
exquisite flowers, the colors of which
have mellowed by time into perfect har-
mony. There is the most beautiful
chandelier of brass and crystal, which is
remarkably light and graceful, though 1t
is so large.
A large chimney Of carved white mar
BILE fills the space between the windows,
and is fitted with wrought brass furnish
ings, and above the mantel is large pier
glass. In all the corners of the room are
onyx vases, from five to six feet tall, elab-
orately carved and almost priceless. Be-
fore the chimney lies an immense tiger
skin and here and there an elegant
tapestry rug.
But the chairs are each and every one
study. The woodwork is gilt and
white. They are lightly but solidly
made and every one is an exact copy, as
is the whole room in fact, of the grand
salon of the palace of Versailles. Each
back and bottom of the chair is made of
cross-stitch tapestry representing Wat
teau pictures, the coloring and work In
every particular reproducing those
famous paintings. 1t takes close examine
ton to convince one that this has indeed
been wrought by hands and not by some
loom. There are eight chairs, two arm
chairs and two tabourets. There is no
table and no picture ON the walls-no
huddled-up mess of bric-a-brac, nothing
to disfgure the severe simplicity of this
perfect room.
Opening with large sliding doors into
this is a smaller parlor. The walls in
this are hung with tapestry, representing
hunting scenes, set in carved white PAN
els which are picked out with gold.
Here there is no carpet, but large rug
is placed In the middle of the floor.
There are pale blue satin chairs, the
backs and bottoms of which have tapes
try centres with hunting scenes worked
upon them in the same fine close stitch.
At the doors are tapestry portieres held
by handsome gilt chains. This room is
perfect copy of boudoir in the palace
of Little Trianon. There is "a chimney
in this room, and on the mantel a pale
blue lapiz-lazuli boat with twenty silver
rowers, each of whom holds a silver
torch, and these give all the light re-
quired. A more charming room or con-
ceit in chandeliers was never made.
Opening from this room is the music
room, which Is an extension of the grand
salon like the other and there Is here no
carpet, only a great tiger-skin and one
or two other rugs. A grand piano, few
ebony and pale blue satin chairs, richly
carved music-rack, and magnificent
bronze and crystal chandeliers furnish
this room. The library adjoins, but as
1t is not parlor / win leave that out
and pass swiftly through the vestibule,
the little hall, and the enormous square
hall of the home of the late w. III.
Vanderbilt, to the grand salon there.
1t opens from the eastern side of the
great, square hall, and on each side of
the door are life-size, full-length portraits
of the late Commodore Vanderbilt and
the late William II. Vanderbilt, the
owner of the house. / should say these
portraits are in the hall.
At the large door hang heavy portieres
of tapestry, lined with rich yellow satin.
7 Directly opposite the door is a bay-win-
dow, and at the north end of the parlor
are wide doors which lead into the
library, which was Mr.. Vanderbilt's wn
private room and where he died, and at
the south end into the Japanese parlor.
The ceiling is decorated In striking
manner and all around the wall flieze
represents an allegoric fable in enormous
figures and in high colors. At the bay
window are tapestry curtains and In
panels on the walls but somehow they
do not seem to be the right thing In the
of the parlor Is set high pier glass, with
q frame made of cut glass, its facets
throwing off sparks of light in every
dfraotsor I'm tho waef aldo ara two